Newshttp://www.oc.edu/news
RSS FeedOC set to honor Coale, Ross at Associates Galahttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-set-to-honor-coale-ross-at-associates-gala/
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Two University of Oklahoma coaches will receive the Lee Allan Smith Spirit of Oklahoma Award at the Oklahoma Christian University (OC) Associates Gala Thursday.

Sherri Coale, the head women’s basketball coach at OU, and Jan Ross, an assistant coach for the Sooners, will be the first OC alumni to receive the award, which honors individuals who have devoted themselves to the betterment of Oklahoma.

The award is named for Smith, a tireless proponent of Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma. Previous winners include Oklahoma City mayors Mick Cornett, Kirk Humphreys and Ron Norick, former Oklahoma governors and first ladies George and Donna Nigh, Frank and Cathy Keating, and Brad and Kim Henry, and Oklahoma City weathermen Gary England, Damon Lane and Mike Morgan.

“We are thrilled to honor OC alumni Sherri Coale and Jan Ross with the Lee Allan Smith Spirit of Oklahoma Award,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “They are examples of great ambassadors of our state and who live exemplary lives and impact young people for good.”

Coale was an Academic All-American at Oklahoma Christian who graduated summa cum laude in 1987 after serving as team captain for three conference championship teams. Ross graduated from Oklahoma Christian in 1986 after a decorated career; she was an NAIA honorable mention All-America, All-District IV and All-Sooner Athletic Conference selection in addition to earning NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Who’s Who honors for the Lady Eagles.

Together, Coale and Ross helped resurrect the OU women’s basketball program and turn it into a national power. Since they joined forces in Norman in 1996, the Sooners have won 10 Big 12 championships (six regular season, four tournament) and made nine Sweet 16 appearances, including a trip to the 2002 NCAA national championship game and back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances in 2009 and 2010.

Their program also is known for its academic excellence and for giving back to the community, including service as volunteer mentors and teachers’ aides at local elementary schools. In 2011, the Sooners earned the United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award after taking a mission trip to Haiti following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

The OC Associates Gala begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. OC Associates receive two complimentary tickets to the dinner and may purchase extra tickets for $75 each. Tickets are available by calling (405) 425-5094 or via email at advancement@oc.edu.

“The Associates Gala is always a highlight event at Oklahoma Christian,” deSteiguer said. “It’s our time to thank donors, celebrate our students and alumni, and share the good news about our university.”

-- ]]>Mon, 15 Sep 2014 15:00:00 CDTae3a1e83-abf3-4bbe-8cf8-8939dfa770b1OC lands on U.S. News ‘Best Regional University’ and A+ listshttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-lands-on-us-news-best-regional-university-and-a-plus-lists/
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Oklahoma Christian University (OC) ranks among the top 40 regional universities in the western United States, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2015” guidebook.

Oklahoma Christian rose to No. 40 in this year’s 15-state western rankings and is the No. 2 Oklahoma school in the “Best Regional Universities” category.

In addition to having the most National Merit Finalists per capita of all Church of Christ universities, Oklahoma Christian earned recognition on the U.S. News & World Report list of “A+ Schools for B Students,” which identifies great colleges where scholars with high school GPAs in the B range can be accepted and thrive.

This is the 16th straight year U.S. News & World Report has honored Oklahoma Christian.

“We are thrilled to be honored again as one of the best universities in the west,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “I’m also proud of this recognition of our A+ approach to B students. It speaks to the heart and quality of our professors, who work alongside our students to bring out their best and help them discover their gifts.”

The U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings assess seven broad categories: undergraduate academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rates. The full rankings are available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.

OC’s academic reputation is further seen in placement rates at or near 100 percent for accounting, communication design, history, interior design, language and literature, nursing, and political science graduates seeking jobs or acceptance into graduate school and law school.

OC biology graduates have a 95 percent medical and graduate school acceptance rate, and 100 percent of OC Honors Program graduates have been accepted to graduate school the past four years. OC’s chapter of the National History Honor Society has earned national top chapter honors for 17 straight years.

OC also boasts the second-highest state education certification exam pass rate in Oklahoma, and is on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Oklahoma Christian offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study, an undergraduate Honors Program and graduate programs in accountancy, business administration, engineering, Christian ministry, divinity, and theological studies.

The last decade has featured OC’s 10 highest enrollments ever, including a new school record this fall.

-OC--- ]]>Mon, 08 Sep 2014 23:01:00 CDT34fc4b69-dcc1-4347-af8b-8bb0cfd2ad42Bald and Beautiful - Alum writes books to help kids with cancerhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/bald-and-beautiful/
Brianne (Lytton 01) Banning will always remember an education class with Dr. Robyn Miller (85). Brianne learned about writing a children’s story, but didn’t think she had the creativity to achieve it. Today, inspired by her daughter’s cancer battles, the author of two children’s books finds that day humorous.

“I really thought I didn’t have any story to tell, and that I probably wouldn’t have one in the future to tell,” Brianne said.

A few years after graduating from OC with a degree in physical education, her daughter Baylee was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer at just six months old. The cancer was at stage four, and involved seven tumors. Baylee underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and a two-month stem cell treatment.

“We were totally shocked to learn that our baby had cancer,” Brianne said. “We never even looked on the Internet to learn more about the disease. We knew the statistics for survival were not good. Plus, we knew there was only one physician who could heal her and that was the Great Physician.”

Nearly four years later, Brianne and her husband Aaron received a final clear scan indicating the cancer was gone. But Baylee began having stomach pains the next year, just before starting kindergarten.

“As a parent of a child who has had cancer, every little illness scares you and can make you flip out,” Brianne said. “But you can’t ignore anything. Once again, I found myself on my knees praying, ‘How am I going to do this?’”

The doctors discovered that Baylee had a Wilms tumor on her ovary, a different cancer than before. Fortunately, the cancer was not on a kidney, so the doctors were able to completely remove it. Baylee once again had to receive 15 rounds of chemotherapy, but none were as harsh as her first cancer treatments.

This time, Brianne really struggled with telling Baylee about how she would lose her hair.

“I looked and looked for books that would help me, but so many were dark and very cancer-centric,” Brianne said. “I needed something else.”

Brianne found the answer in Baylee.

“I told her about losing her hair again and she just laughed. She thought it was funny,” Brianne said. “So we sat down and wrote a story about a little girl who had to lose her hair. We came up with the idea of a hair fairy, and we really just wanted the story to have positive, affirmative messages. We didn’t even want to mention cancer.

“After we developed the story, Baylee looked forward to the day the hair fairy would come and get her hair, and then when the fairy would return it for Baylee being so strong and brave.”

After Brianne told others of the story, friends encouraged her to turn it into a book. She self-published “The Beautiful Bald Princess” with illustrations by Tricia Weber, a friend and fellow member of Northside Church of Christ in Wichita. Tate Publishing contacted Banning and agreed to publish the book.

“The book has really allowed us to give back,” Brianne said. “We’ve worked with the Ronald McDonald House, where we had stayed ourselves. I spoke to nearly 1,000 women at the Women Walking with God conference. Friends and church members have bought the books and asked me to give them to children they know. So many people helped our family, and we are more than willing to share our story to help others for God’s glory.”

Another way Brianne has been able to give back is by visiting children in hospitals – dressed as the hair fairy – and reading the book to patients.

This year, Brianne developed a book for boys called “The Brave Bald Knight.” Both books and other materials are available at bravebaldandbeautiful.com. Brianne wants the books to get into the hands of parents and children who need them.

Today, Baylee is cancer-free. Her final treatment was in February 2013, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation is helping her get to Disney World in September.

“It is so exciting to see her play soccer,” Brianne said. “People don’t know how God has worked in her life.”

That perspective reminds Brianne of her time in her mentor’s class, Teaching The Disabled Child, taught by Dr. Max Dobson.

“Working with kids with disabilities in his class allowed me to look at difficult situations differently,” Brianne said. “There are positive ways to help, and there is always something you can do to brighten their day with a story.”

The undergraduate degree candidates, including 21 graduates from OC’s Honors Program, come from 28 states and 11 countries. They majored in a combined 38 academic disciplines at Oklahoma Christian.

The master’s degree candidates come from six states and seven countries, and represent 13 graduate areas of study.

Mark Brewer, senior vice president and chief information officer for Seagate Technology, LLC, will deliver the undergraduate commencement address on Friday. William “Chip” Kooi, a professor of theology at Oklahoma Christian, will keynote Saturday’s graduate ceremony.

Brewer leads all of Seagate Technology’s information technology operations worldwide and is a member of the company’s Executive Council.

His area consists of 1,600 IT professionals located in 20 different countries. His responsibilities include all business systems, factory information systems, electronic security, business continuity and collaboration services, as well as other traditional IT support services for Seagate’s 50,000 employees.

Kooi worked in education, pulpit ministry and inner-city ministry before returning to teach at Oklahoma Christian in 2001. An accomplished theological scholar, he has written for The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement, Leaven, and The Christian Chronicle.

Dr. Estep serves as the Medical Director of Occupational Medicine at the McBride Clinic. He also is a medical consultant for the OG&E Corporation and is Oklahoma’s Delegate to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine House of Delegates.

Leger has been involved in the recording industry, news media, banking, and healthcare. He recently accepted a position with GE’s Oil and Gas division, where he is responsible for Global IT Commercial Operations.

Loeber is a charge nurse, a new hire coach, a preceptor for nursing students, and a certified ECMO technician at OU Children’s Hospital.

Jones is the Manager of Broadcast Operations and Technical Services for the Oklahoma City Thunder, overseeing gameday television broadcasts and operations.

Montgomery recently left the University of Mississippi, where he received the Lawrence “Shaky” Yates Award for Teaching Freshman Composition, for a tenure track position at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

Ries teaches music in the public school system in Mankato, Minn., and serves as Artistic Director of the Mankato Children’s Chorus and director of the junior high and high school choirs.

Roberts has a private practice with the OSSO Healthcare Network as part of The Physicians Group in Oklahoma City and is Director of Endoscopy at Community Hospital in south Oklahoma City.

Tabor is a partner in the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, one of the world’s largest international law firms. He has represented General Electric in many transactions, including its $20 billion joint venture with Comcast for the ownership of NBC Universal and in GE’s recent $3.3 billion acquisition of Lufkin Industries.

Dr. Wisdom is a licensed Staff Neuropsychologist in the Mental Health Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He also is an Assistant Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Baylor College of Medicine and serves as President-Elect of the Houston Neuropsychological Society.

Cave is the Outreach Minister at Del City Church of Christ, where he preaches on Sunday nights. Herndon is a minister at South Brooke Church of Christ in Tulsa and is involved as a docent with the Philbrook Museum of Art.

Russell works with Northwest Church of Christ in Oklahoma City. Glover is the senior minister with Oakcrest Church of Christ in south Oklahoma City.

Arledge is a Solutions Consultant with the Boston-based software company Kronos, Inc. Norton has worked in various roles for MidFirst Bank, including his current job managing the bank’s Commercial Sales and Marketing group.

Rose is an Assistant Principal at Cheyenne Middle School in Edmond, and also serves as the Youth Minister at Wilshire Church of Christ.

For the last three years, the cost of attendance for OC undergraduate students has stayed the same, making Oklahoma Christian the only university in the state and the only reporting member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities that did not raise its total price. More information is available at www.oc.edu/value.

-OC-

-- ]]>Mon, 11 Nov 2013 09:00:00 CSTd9f57852-27af-46be-bcad-bcd139785d52Oklahoma Christian earns reaccreditation from NCATEhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oklahoma-christian-earns-reaccreditation-from-ncate/
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Oklahoma Christian University (OC) has earned reaccreditation for the next seven years from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

NCATE’s professional accreditation reflects that OC’s School of Education met rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community. Those standards ensure that OC graduates are among the most prepared in the country to teach students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

“We are incredibly proud of our dedicated faculty in the School of Education for achieving this well-earned distinction,” said OC vice president for academic affairs Scott LaMascus. “Receiving reaccreditation requires extensive planning and hard work, the very characteristics that mark our education faculty’s performance in the classroom as well.”

Oklahoma Christian hosted the NCATE accreditation team in the spring. Robyn Miller, chair of OC’s School of Education, said the process enhances the quality of the university’s education programs.

“Our students appreciate that outside professionals have evaluated and praised our faculty, classes and services,” she said. “We value the insight and recognition that the continuing accreditation process offers us. This multi-year preparation process provides the School of Education with an excellent opportunity to evaluate and strengthen the ways we prepare students for success as teachers.”

OC’s School of Education has produced hundreds of alumni who are successful in the classroom. The program, which is also accredited by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation, has a 100 percent job placement rate for its graduates.

Students can choose from four majors and two minors. Areas of emphasis include Early Childhood, Elementary, English, Mathematics, Music, Science and Social Studies. The School of Education has six full-time faculty members.

For the last three years, the cost of attendance for OC undergraduate students has stayed the same, making Oklahoma Christian the only university in the state and the only reporting member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities that did not raise its total price. More information is available at www.oc.edu/value.

The cost of attendance for OC undergraduate students also stayed the same from 2011-12 to 2012-13.

“Affordability is a big deal to us because affordability is a big deal to students and their families,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “Holding our total price is the right thing to do again because we want students to get a first-rate higher education at the best value possible.”

OC’s undergraduate tuition will remain $18,800 for students taking up to 17 hours per semester. Average room and board costs also will stay the same for a total price of $24,975. Oklahoma Christian also is continuing its policy of not charging student fees.

According to the College Board, the average total price of private universities rose 4 percent last year to $39,518. OC was the only university in Oklahoma and the only reporting member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) that did not raise its total price in 2012-13.

“With more students being priced out of higher education, Oklahoma Christian wants to provide an affordable college home where they can discover their passion and use their talents for good,” deSteiguer said. “As President Obama said in his State of the Union address, colleges need to do their part to keep costs down. Freezing our cost of attendance for two years running is a big part of our commitment to do that.”

Factoring in scholarships and grants, OC’s average net price actually decreased in the latest reporting period for the U.S. Department of Education. More than 90 percent of Oklahoma Christian students receive financial aid, including performance and athletic scholarships, need-based financial grants, and governmental assistance.

OC’s Presidential Academic Success Scholarship rewards academic achievement tied to student performance on ACT and SAT exams. Oklahoma Christian also offers large scholarships for National Merit Scholars. OC has seven National Merit Scholars in its freshman class and 30 National Merit Finalists overall, the most per capita of all Church of Christ universities.

OC’s “no fees” approach allows students and families to better assess costs in comparison to colleges and universities that charge course fees and other significant fees on top of their tuition “sticker price.” Differential tuition will continue for students participating in nursing clinicals or taking private music lessons.

OC students can shape their costs with technology, housing, dining and other choices that best fit their budgets and needs. They also can continue to supplement their meal plans with the optional purchase of “Eagle Bucks” for tax-free dining at Alfredo’s, Chick-Fil-A, Jimmy John’s and the OC Grill.

Graduate prices will range from $400 to $495 per credit hour, with slight increases for master’s students in business and engineering. More information is available at www.oc.edu/cost and www.oc.edu/value.

OC set school records with 361 graduate students and 2,271 total students enrolled this year. The last eight years have featured OC’s eight highest total enrollments ever.

Oklahoma Christian, recognized as one of the best universities in the western United States by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review, offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study, an undergraduate Honors Program, and graduate programs in business, engineering, ministry, and divinity.

In addition to its Oklahoma City residential campus, OC has study abroad opportunities in Europe, Honduras and the Pacific Rim. This year, Oklahoma Christian opened a Learning Support Center in Kigali, Rwanda, allowing Rwandan students to study in OC’s online MBA program.

Dobson was presented with the honor at Chesapeake Energy Arena during the Oklahoma City Thunder-Phoenix Suns game. The Devon Community Hero award is presented by the Thunder and is designed to honor outstanding Oklahomans who are making a significant difference in their community through their personal contributions of time, talent and-or finances.

The Thunder and Devon have presented the award 24 times since its inception in 2008. Among the previous recipients are civil rights icon Clara Luper, Oklahoma basketball legend Wayman Tisdale, fallen Oklahoma City firefighter Christopher Dill and Oklahoma City police officer Katie Lawson, who was shot and wounded in the line of duty.

"Max, along with (former athletic director Ray Vaughn) are the cornerstones on which Oklahoma Christian athletics have been built,” OC Athletic Director Curtis Janz said. “Faith, integrity, character and service are the qualities that Max has represented and instilled into all who have been around him. I cannot think of anyone that could be more deserving of an award like this than Max.”

Dobson began teaching at Oklahoma Christian in 1966, and in 1976, he began a class called “Teaching the Exceptional Child.” Dobson estimates that since then, at least 3,000 OC students have taken the class and assisted in his efforts to aid special-needs children. Dobson teaches the class in The Barn on OC’s campus every Wednesday and Friday during the academic year.

More than 80 special-needs students currently participate in the program, along with 24 teachers from Edmond Public Schools, allowing the university to partner with a key player in local secondary education.

“I feel like there are so many who are more deserving and I was very surprised to get the call telling me Devon wanted to do this for me,” Dobson said. “I am very appreciative, however. This program has been very close to me for 37 years. The kids are special and I know they love the attention they get when they walk or are carried into The Barn on Wednesdays and Fridays.”

Dobson said the program doesn’t only benefit the special-needs children, but the college students who work with them.

“Some have enrolled in different course numbers so they can work up to three or four semesters with the children,” Dobson said. “I have read hundreds of evaluations on the courses and I keep hearing ‘this course has changed my life.’ I have seen it and their lives have been changed and that is what OC is supposed to be all about.

“God truly has blessed my life by giving me this opportunity to touch the lives of hundreds of children and I could not have done it without the support of these wonderful college students.”

Dobson has spent time as baseball coach, women’s basketball coach and athletic director at OC. He guided the baseball team to a third-place finish in the 1972 NAIA World Series and recruited a guard from Healdton who would become the women’s basketball program’s most prominent alum, Sherri (Buben) Coale.

A video shown during the in-game ceremony Monday included comments from Coale, the longtime head women’s coach at the University of Oklahoma.

Dobson plans to retire from full-time teaching at the end of the 2013 spring semester, although he plans to keep working with the special-needs classes.
-- ]]>Mon, 31 Dec 2012 19:49:00 CST453f2c3d-4c34-45c5-acce-2a6a8393df77White earns church service awardhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/white-earns-church-service-award/
OC director of special projects Chuck White earned the Ambassador’s Award from Edmond Church of Christ earlier this month.

Dale Hartman from Eastside Church of Christ in Midwest City, where White served as an elder and deacon, presented White with the award for his service to the church and the Kingdom through his years of service and mentoring others.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by my brothers in Christ. I certainly was not expecting such an honor; I am humbled to receive it. I am blessed beyond measure,” White said.

White played baseball at Oklahoma Christian from 1974 to 1976 and returned to his alma mater as director of athletic operations in 2004.

White worked for Midwest City-Del City Public Schools for 28 years, leading Carl Albert High School’s baseball team to the state tournament in 2002 and the softball team to the state tournament in 2003 and 2004.

He was named Teacher of the Year at Ridgecrest Elementary in Midwest City and Carl Albert High School. In 1999, White was named OC’s Education Alumnus of the Year.

The grant from CVS Caremark will help purchase iPads that students from OC’s School of Education will use to help tutor children from Edmond Public Schools.

OC’s education majors conduct a weekly reading clinic for students in second through fifth grades. As part of this free tutoring initiative, OC’s students use iPad applications to help get the children up to the reading levels for their respective grades.

“We need to do anything we can to encourage students to read and be successful. A lot of these children have struggled with reading for so long that they’re not confident in themselves,” said OC associate professor of education Dr. Rhonda Morris, who leads the program. “The iPad apps give the students immediate feedback, which really helps them, and they’re finding apps on their own afterward to duplicate the experience.”

The clinic is part of the last literacy class OC’s students take before they begin their student teaching. Oklahoma Christian has the second-highest state education certification exam pass rate in Oklahoma.

“Teachers talk about how prepared our students and graduates are,” Morris said. “They’re getting the knowledge base they need and they know what kind of interventions to use to help students succeed.

Oklahoma Christian was selected to receive a grant through the CVS Caremark Community Grants 2011 grant application process. Grants were awarded to organizations that share a common vision with CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can program, which strives to empower children with and without disabilities to reach their full potential.

The goals of the All Kids Can program are to increase access to early-intervention programs that help children develop strong foundations early in life, reduce barriers to medical rehabilitation and health care services, and create greater opportunities for physical activity and creativity.

“We are committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work and the CVS Caremark Community grants program does just that by supporting organizations that truly make a difference in the lives of children and families,” said Dennis Palmer, senior vice president of CVS/pharmacy West Division Operations. “We are proud to support the work that Oklahoma Christian does in the community.”

Oklahoma Christian has raised $10,500 to date for the iPad tutoring program. Dr. Morris started the project last year as a pilot program, and a $5,000 challenge grant from the Kerr Foundation, this CVS Caremark grant, and gifts from private donors are helping OC expand the initiative.

Oklahoma Christian is recognized as one of the best universities in the western United States by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review.

OC is nationally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and has discipline-specific accreditations from ABET (computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering), the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Accreditation, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, the National Association of Schools of Music, and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

The university offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study and graduate programs in business administration, engineering, ministry, and divinity. OC’s MBA program is offered both on-site and online.

In addition to its Oklahoma City campus, OC has study abroad opportunities in Europe, Honduras and the Pacific Rim. This year, Oklahoma Christian opened a Learning Support Center in Kigali, Rwanda, allowing Rwandan students to study in OC’s online MBA program.

School of Business Administration alumnus Shawn Gieger has been promoted to Partner at the Oklahoma City Ernst & Young office.

OC is networking:

In September, the Department of Accounting and Finance hosted the following firms for luncheon sessions with OC students:

BKD

Ernst & Young

Hogan Taylor

Eide Baily

Devon

On Sept. 20-21, the School of Business Administration hosted the Oklahoma Accountancy Board for its September meeting. The events began with a reception on Thursday evening, and concluded with a meeting on Friday. OC accounting students and faculty attended both events.

OC is well read:

On September 14, Dr. Rhonda Morris and student Allison Becker presented a “Table Talk” at the Oklahoma Reading Association Conference: “Bringing Reading into the Digital Age.”

“We are incredibly honored to add these highly accomplished individuals to our university,” said Oklahoma Christian President Mike O’Neal. “Each of these faculty are dedicated to scholarship and service in the classroom. They will enhance our students’ abilities to positively affect the communities in which they live and work.”

Charles Rix is an assistant professor of Bible and holds a doctorate in Biblical studies from Drew Theological School. He also holds a master’s degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and has multiple Six Sigma certifications. Rix previously served as an associate dean and professor at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. In addition, he is a retired financial executive for Exxon and has served as a minister for 17 years. An accomplished pianist, Rix has performed around the world including St. Petersburg, Russia, and has been a finalist in international pianist competitions in Paris and New York City.

Grant Testut is an assistant professor of Bible. He received his doctorate in comparative semitics from the prestigious Hebrew Union College. He has also taught principles of Bible translation in Africa to Tanzanians, Zimbabwians and Malawians. Testut met his wife in Tanzania while on a mission trip. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature.

Allison Cassady is an assistant professor of education and a former public school teacher in Texas. She graduates this year with her Ph.D in curriculum and instruction from the University of Texas. Cassady is also a co-founding member of the Consortium for Research in Teacher Education. One of her areas of study is classroom management decision-making skills.

Dan Sorensen is an assistant professor of business who previously taught at Rochester College in Detroit, Mich. He is a doctoral student in the school of business at Anderson University and holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Sorensen has more than 20 years of business industry experience working in financial and information technology positions for companies such as Arthur Anderson and Toyota.

Sada Knowles is an instructor in the department of psychology and family studies. She is a doctoral student in Oklahoma State University’s department of human development and family science. An OC graduate, Knowles is a member of both the National and Oklahoma Councils on Family Relations. She is currently studying how family, neighborhood and school factors relate to adaptation in at-risk youth.

Kenneth Bell is an assistant professor of electrical engineering. For the last last 16 years he has been a systems engineer at BAE Systems, a global defense and security company with approximately 100,000 employees worldwide. Bell holds a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Connecticut, and he has also coached high school students in robotics competitions. In addition, Bell has travelled more than 10,000 miles on foot, including the Appalachian Trail twice and the Pacific Crest Trail once.

-- ]]>Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:08:00 CDTe3bb446b-e773-4a59-9713-106c11550357OC Alum A Finalist For Teacher of the Yearhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-alum-a-finalist-for-teacher-of-the-year/
The following story about OC alumnus Anthony Rose, written by Patty Miller, ran in the Aug. 2 edition of The Edmond Sun.Edmond teacher moves up as state finalist

Edmond Public Schools’ 2011 Teacher of the Year Anthony Rose has been included in the list of the 12 teacher finalists from across Oklahoma to be chosen as the state’s Teacher of the Year.

“I was at the school working when Superintendent Janet Barresi called and told me I was now one of the 12 being considered for the state Teacher of the Year,” Rose said.

Rose will be stepping into the slot left open when Jody Bowie accepted the position of the new science director for the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Bowie, who taught 10th-12th grade physics, Earth science and physical science at Putnam City High School, had four years teaching experience.

“We’re excited that Jody Bowie is joining the department and will continue to share his passion for helping students succeed,” Barresi said. “I’m equally pleased to congratulate Anthony Rose as a new teacher of the year finalist. Both are outstanding teachers who have demonstrated excellence and professionalism.”

Rose is a fourth-year science and geography teacher at Cheyenne Middle School and credits the teachers he works with as the models from which he crafted his teaching abilities.

He received his bachelor’s degree in science education from Oklahoma Christian University and his master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Central Oklahoma.

“I was very surprised,” Rose said. “It is exciting to represent Edmond, because I think the district is pretty awesome. This is where I learned to teach and hopefully I can represent the district well and share how great the district is with everyone else.”

Not only does Rose teach middle school-aged students, he is also the youth minister at Wilshire Church of Christ where he says this unique opportunity has allowed him to work with teenagers from 11-18.

Community service and involvement are two areas Rose believes to be vital as an educator, and giving back to the community is the very core of what individuals should do each day.

“Teachers need to be examples in our community to show our students what is needed of them in the future,” Rose added.

Rose said in his classroom the focus is on student engagement and participation.

Memorial High School principal Debbie Bendick hired Rose for his first job in the Edmond school district at Cheyenne Middle School.

“A thirst for learning, growth and change are the hallmarks of Tony Rose’s professional life,” Bendick said. “In the four years since his graduation from Oklahoma Christian University, Tony has taught at all three middle school grades at Cheyenne — both science and geography. Concurrently, he completed a master’s in school administration; and recently, continuing his pattern to seek opportunity for his own growth and learning, Tony applied to teach high school biology.

“Quite frankly, Tony’s success is a wonderful commentary on the fertile field of professionalism that has evolved at Cheyenne Middle School. From his first days on campus, he has been nurtured by an exceptional staff of teachers whose work as a collegial, collaborative learning community allows for the experienced to share tips, practices and methods with the early career teachers and the young, just-out-of-college teachers, to offer their fresh approaches to pedagogy and technology.”

David Goin, superintendent of Edmond Public Schools, echoed Bendick’s beliefs.

“Mr. Rose in an outstanding teacher,” Goin said. “He relates well to students and colleagues and is a skilled professional. We are very pleased about his selection as a finalist. He will represent Edmond and all teachers in an exemplary manner.”

A state committee comprised of education, business and civic leaders will choose the winner. Barresi will announce the Teacher of the Year in September at the Oklahoma State Fair.

-- ]]>Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:00:00 CDTcc14d8c7-3639-4b35-9ba2-ac1a8b5df688OC Named "A Best in The West" College by The Princeton Reviewhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-named-a-best-in-the-west-college-by-the-princeton-review/
Oklahoma Christian University is one of the best colleges in the West according to the nationally known education services company, The Princeton Review. It is one of 121 institutions The Princeton Review recommends in its “Best in the West” section of its website feature, “2012 Best Colleges: Region by Region.”

“We are honored to be ranked among the best universities in the West region,” said Mike O’Neal, president of Oklahoma Christian. “This is a reflection of the hard work of our dedicated faculty, staff and students.”

For this project, The Princeton Review asked students attending the schools to rate their own colleges on several issues—from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food—and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus life.

“We’re pleased to recommend Oklahoma Christian to users of our site as one of the best schools to earn their degree,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s publisher. “We chose it mainly for its excellent academic programs. From several hundred schools in each region, we winnowed our list based on institutional data we collected directly from the schools, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of our staff, plus college counselors and advisors whose recommendations we invite.

The Princeton Review also takes into account what students at the schools reported about their campus experiences on an 80-question student survey for this project. Only schools that permit the group to independently survey their students are eligible to be considered for the regional “Best” lists.

The 121 colleges that The Princeton Review chose for its “Best in the West” list are located in 15 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Collectively, the 629 colleges named “regional best” constitute about 25 percent of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges.

Last year The Princeton Review also named Oklahoma Christian as one of the top 50 undergraduate gaming design programs in the nation. It was the only one in Oklahoma to make the list.

-- ]]>Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:08:00 CDT723df8be-7e88-4126-b6c6-378660a1cf35 OC Alum, Associates Speaker Wins UN Peace Awardhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc_alum_associates_speaker_nominated_for_un_peace_award/
Sherri Coale, a 1987 OC graduate, was selected for a United Nations peace award in the coaching category yesterday. Coale, who coaches the women’s basketball team at the University of Oklahoma, was nominated after taking her team to Haiti to assist with aid following the devastating earthquake that struck there last year.

Oklahoma women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale was selected the winner of a United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award, announced Tuesday by Celebrate Positive.

The award, viewed as a 21st century peace prize, honors and recognizes individuals, businesses, athletes, sports teams, entertainers and schools around the world for their positive contributions.

“This is really a program award,” Coale said in a statement. “I accept it on behalf of our current staff and players and all of our former coaches and players who continue to give back and lead through service in their respective communities. I so appreciate the recognition for our program but, as our players past and present can attest, the rewards come from the doing. It is truly an honor to have such a platform from which to serve.”

Coale was voted the winner of the inaugural award in the sports coach category. Nominated by Adam Barnett, college pastor of Journey Church in Norman, Coale was chosen from a pool that included Kansas men’s basketball head coach Bill Self and Kentucky’s John Calipari.

The award will be presented during a pregame ceremony before tonight’s game with Kansas State.

-- ]]>Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:01:00 CST11ea487e-a452-4187-9769-b4f9ab8089cb OC Receives $1,500 CVS Caremark Community Granthttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc_receives_1500_cvs_caremark_community_grant/
Oklahoma Christian announced today that it has received a $1,500 CVS Caremark Community Grant. Grants were awarded to organizations that share a common vision with CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can program, which strives to make life easier for children with disabilities.

“This grant will be used to enhance education professor Max Dobson’s program for special needs children from Edmond Public Schools,” said Jo Griffin, OC’s director of foundation and corporate relations. “Specifically, it will go toward the purchase carpeting in Max’s athletic practice facility, affectionately known as “The Barn.”

Dobson, who served for many years as a baseball and basketball coach at OC, has taught a class each year since 1976 called Teaching the Exceptional Child. Special needs children from Edmond schools take part in physical activity alongside OC students in The Barn.

“This program could not have been possible without the help and encouragement of so many people and organizations just like CVS,” said Dobson. “This will be a great benefit to the Edmond students we serve.”

Dobson’s program was selected because it was a perfect match with the mission of the pharmacy chain’s grant program. The goal of CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can is to create more inclusive environments for children with and without disabilities to build self-esteem, lasting friendships and social skills, and to help children without disabilities learn diversity and tolerance.

“CVS Caremark Community Grants are an effective way for us to contribute to the success of communities where we do business,” said Jennifer Veilleux, director of CVS Caremark Corporation. “We are proud to support this work that Oklahoma Christian does in the community.”

Through numerous donations and through his own efforts, Dobson has acquired many things for the children to enjoy, including a trampoline, tricycles, basketballs, hula hoops and much more. More than 1,500 OC students have participated in the program through the years, helping touch and change the lives of many people.

“CVS Caremark is committed to helping children with disabilities learn, play and succeed in life,” said Dennis Palmer,” senior vice president, West Division, CVS/pharmacy. “Through this grant, we are proud to be able to help make an impact on the lives of children in the Edmond community.”

About CVS Caremark All Kids Can
All Kids Can, a program of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust and CVS Caremark, is a five-year, $25 million commitment to support children with disabilities. The goals of All Kids Can are to support children with disabilities by raising awareness in schools and in local communities about the importance of inclusion, creating greater opportunities for physical activity and play, and providing access to medical rehabilitation and related services. CVS Caremark and its more than 190,000 employees plan to help children with disabilities learn, play and succeed through partnerships with leading local and national nonprofit organizations across the country. For more information, visit www.cvsallkidscan.com.

-- ]]>Thu, 06 Jan 2011 04:01:00 CST8604175e-98b7-4d86-8c9c-f8a8a4bf8262 Education Alumni Recognized As Site Teachers of The Yearhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/education_alumni_recognized_as_site_teachers_of_the_year/
OC education graduates William J. Arbuckle, Jennifer Hankins, and Anthony Rose were named Site Teachers of the Year for the 2010-11 school year by their colleagues in the Edmond School District in Oklahoma. Arbuckle, Hankins, and Rose were three of only 24 teachers honored. Arbuckle teaches math at Edmond North High School. Rose teaches science and geography at Cheyenne Middle School, while Hankins teaches first grade at Washington Irving Elementary School.

According to newsok.com, each of the 24 will complete a 10-minute video by Dec. 1, to be considered as finalists for the district. The Teacher of the Year Selection Committee will review the videos from Feb. 14-25, with finalist interviews scheduled on March 8.

The winner will be announced during the Edmond Public Schools Foundation’s Celebration of Excellence in the spring. That person will then be in the running for the state’s teacher of the year award.

As an intern for the Make-A-Wish foundation this past summer, senior Megan Potter helped make 41 wishes come true for children across Oklahoma. In the 2008 fiscal year, the Oklahoma chapter of Make-A-Wish granted about 113 wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The Oklahoma chapter founded in 1987 has two offices, one in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City. The chapter has granted more than 1,600 wishes to eligible Oklahoma children.

Corporate sponsors, foundations, service clubs, fundraisers and individual contributions make up the majority of funding for granting children’s wishes. Make-A-Wish does not receive any government funding. Approximately 82 percent of every wish dollar donated to the Oklahoma chapter is directly applied to the funding of granting a wish.

Each eligible child has the opportunity to make a wish from four categories. A child can wish to go anywhere, like Disneyland. A child can also ask to meet anyone, have something or be something.

“The very first boy that had a wish granted was named Chris Greicius and he wanted to be a police officer,” Potter said. “Little did he know he would be the inspiration to the largest wish granting organization in the world.”

Each wish costs an average of $7,000 and can take up to a year to be granted, depending on what is requested. The cost of the wish is high because the Make-A-Wish foundation goes beyond just the wish the child puts on paper.

“They never cut corners and they go above what the child asks for and beyond what the child can imagine,” Potter said. “Everything is done to its absolute best.”

Potter began college with the desire to be a child life specialist

“A child life specialist is a person who works in a hospital and is the mediator between the doctors and the families of a child that is terminally ill,” Potter said.

Oklahoma Christian does not offer a degree of this nature so Potter pursued a liberal arts degree. Potter anticipates graduating in December with a degree in liberal arts focusing on family studies, communication and early childhood education.

This past year, Potter looked for a summer internship as a child life specialist with OU Children’s Hospital. The internship program at OU Children’s Hospital was being re-worked and not available. With a graduation approaching Potter looked for other internships.

Potter’s sister-in-law Amanda Potter told her about the internships available at Make-A-Wish.

“She thought of me instantly because she knew I wanted to work with children with life threatening illnesses,” Potter said. “So I looked into it and found that it was a perfect fit. I was going to get to see if my heart was truly as ready as I thought to work with these types of children and families and be able to make a true difference in their lives while I am at it.”

Potter worked with five other interns this summer at the Oklahoma City office, the most the office has ever had, which allowed for more wishes to be granted in the short summer. Under the event coordinators, the interns helped with events planning and organizing each event.

“We would have events that are specifically for fundraising, volunteer appreciation and events for the actual Make-A-Wish kids and families,” Potter said.

In addition to the internship, which was unpaid, Potter worked as a full-time lifeguard and pool manger of a country club during the summer.

Potter was given the special opportunity to coordinate her own event, a Make-A-Wish Art Party. During this event the children of Make-A-Wish made gifts of art for donors to show their appreciation.

“Everything that I did there, whether it was actually planning my own art party event for the Make-A-Wish kids or making excel sheets for the other employees to make their job easier, I knew that no matter what I was doing, this work and effort was all for a good purpose and that’s what makes it all worth it,” Potter said.

Potter has continued working her internship with Make-A-Wish. The Oklahoma chapter has offered Potter a full time job after graduation in December.

“I am very excited about my future with Make-A-Wish and I know God is going to use me no matter where I am but I am so glad it will be with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma.”

In addition to the interns and the staff, volunteers also help at Make-A-Wish.

“There are about 12 people on staff at the Oklahoma City location, but it is the volunteers that make things happen,” Potter said. “The success of Make-A-Wish depends heavily on the help of volunteers in every aspect of our work.”

Currently there are about 100 active volunteers helping with Oklahoma City’s children’s wishes.

The opportunities to volunteer are endless. Volunteer tasks range from planning events and granting wishes to just dressing up in a costume and visiting a child in the hospital to put a smile on his or her face. Every job and person is important in making a wish successful and memorable.

Another way to help is by participating in local Make-A-Wish fundraisers.

During October people can view the 2008 Concept Home of Gaillardia Country Club. Wednesday was opening night and featured musical entertainment by Oklahoma’s well-known guitarist, Edgar Cruz, and food provided by Red Rock Canyon Grill.

The Concept Home is open through Oct. 26, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10 at the door or $6 in advance at Mathis Brothers.

In November, some big-name celebrities will be traveling to the state fair arena to partner with Make-A-Wish children in a special event called the Celebrity Slide.

For more information on how to get involved with The Make-A-Wish Foundation or information pertaining to events, dates and donations, visit www.oklahoma.wish.org.

“I enjoy working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma because they serve a great purpose in making a difference in children’s lives that are battling with a life threatening illnesses,” Potter said. “They help remind the children and the families that there are people that care and they are not forgotten about.”

——

To learn more about the Oklahoma Chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, click here.

-- ]]>Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:10:00 CDTe4138357-f306-47b5-af9d-7e551f29b76f OC to host Christian education conferencehttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc_to_host_christian_education_conference/
OC will host the 13th Annual Association of Christian Education Preparation Programs (ACEPP) Conference on October 3 and 4. Teacher education professors from nine sister Church of Christ Colleges and Universities plan to be a part of the conference.

Friday night’s schedule includes registration, dinner in the Gaylord University Center, a devotional led by Dr. John DeSteiguer, OC’s Vice President for Advancement, and a performance by New Reign. Saturday morning begins with breakfast and a devotional followed by three sessions of professional presentations from selected conference attendees. The afternoon session includes a campus tour, a visit to OC’s “Barn” to learn about Dr. Max Dobson’s highly regarded physical education class for special needs children and a concluding group discussion.

The ACEPP is an association of the Schools of Education from the Church of Christ colleges and universities. The Association meets annually in the early fall on a rotating basis. Last year’s conference was hosted by Pepperdine University and Harding University is scheduled to host the conference in 2009.